Curious Caterer: Grilling Season

Why base it on a novel if all you do is keep a few names (but not even the heroine's!) and professions? Having read the series, it's disappointing to see it so poorly translated into Hallmarkese- bland and boring and body-conscious. Angsty son is now a confident daughter. Ex is now an okay guy, not an abuser. Love interest is a skinny dude, not a gorgeous Dan Hagerty bear of a guy. Best friend no longer a loving and lovely diva who has the same ex as heroine. All the realism and feistiness of the series has been sucked out. Actually, the best thing about the series is adding "The Curious Caterer" title to it. Best use of series is to have TV on while you do something useful, like meal prep.

I'll say up front that I have read all the Diane Mott Davidson books. I actually used to work with her husband.

The stories are good and I love Nikki Deloach and Andrew W. Walker. They are so good together.

In the books, Goldy's husband, Richard, is a spousal abuser. Marla is Richard's ex-wife and Goldy's friend. Goldy's has a son, not a daughter. Eventually Goldy marries Tom Schultz (Andrew Walker) and Richard is murdered.

It's Hallmark, so they won't show the dark side of the characters, but I'll keep watching because I love the actors and love another mystery series.

Overall a must watch.

I enjoyed this latest movie in the Curious Caterer Mysteries series. Nikki Deloach is one of my favorite actresses on Hallmark. Deloach is good in both the Hallmark romantic movies and now the mysteries. She and Andrew Walker are good together. The writing was better than the last movie in this series. Several of the reviewers were critical that the movies had some differences from the book. That always happens when a book is made into a movie. I would suggest that viewers just sit back and enjoy the movie. Hopefully, Hallmark will make more of this series along with my other favorites - Murder 101, Murder She Baked, and The Chronicle Mysteries.

I found this movie on a DVD at my public library, containing the first three movies in the "Curious Caterer" series. This is the second one, filmed about 10 months after the first one, so the young daughter looks a bit more grown up.

Nikki Deloach (early 40s) is Goldy. She has a bakery and also takes on jobs catering special events. This story has her catering for an event at the home of a real estate friend. After everyone leaves there is an explosion, at first they think the outdoor gas grill malfunctioned. Upon closer examination it seems to be an attempt to cover up for a murder. But who would do this?

As we saw in the first one Andrew Walker is detective Tom. As he and his young partner conduct their investigation Tom is frequently frustrated at Goldy's seeming to be launching her own investigation which, it truth, is essential to crack the case.

As usual with this type of movie there are lots of red herrings thrown about, clues designed to sow seeds of doubt for the viewer, and when it is nearing the conclusion lots of explanations are given regarding who and how of the crime.

Even though the overall theme, murder, is very serious the movie is done with frequent humor thrown in and that works well to keep it entertaining, and my wife and I were.

The Hallmark Series is so different from the books I loved. Richard was an abuser and Goldie hated him. Their child was a boy not a girl. Her best friend Marla, had also been married to Richard. They bonded over their mutual dislike of Richard.. She is chubby, very rich and loud. Tom is a huge, tall, heavy man. That's the worst casting. I so wanted Tom to be a big bear of a man but Hallmark must not have such an actor under contract!

I have to forget the TV show is based on the books to enjoy them. These shows are fun and well done but don't expect the books in any way. Watch them without expectation and you'll enjoy them.